New grounds success or disaster?

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Oh it has plenty of character and can create a great atmosphere no doubt about either. But the Bobbers stand is embarrassing let’s be honest. Just looks wrong!

Agree, taking the clock across would be a classy move

 

[GTFCfish]

At Grimsby we've gone and got this all arse over face, we already have an out of Town ground and now we're after a new ground back in the middle(ish) of Town.
Right next to the cemetery as well which could be handy as a lot of our current team play like they've just been dug up from there.

 

[Maple Hatter]

But Kenilworth Road has got character by the bucketload. I want to take the SKF clock to the new ground!
Its just the area it's in which is an absolute hole.

Well that and its falling to bits, can't be expanded, expensive to run, the Exec box stand, the lack of room in the Oak Road stand and the bars are too cramped, I could go on. Of course there are many positives most nostalgic and I like every other Luton will shed a tear or two when the last match is played there. The stadium was in its prime when the Oak and Kenny end had terracing and the Bobbers was a seated stand. The terraced Bobbers was before my time. All we needed was a roof on the Kenny. The DP was a good addition for more seating. Anyway I'll outbid you for the clock.

 

[valefan16]

I’d like us to fully redevelop Vale Park but depends what mess is under it. Hence the Lorne Street is now 20 years old and not complete after the mine shafts were discovered. Although new stands wouldn’t need to have all the executive boxes and suites that the Lorne Street has. The half of it allegedly has already cost way more than Notts County’s whole ground!

Steep stands nearer to the pitch, Starting with the Railway with something similar to Notts County would be a start.

Smurf has plans this summer to build a new pub next to the current shop and bulldoze the famous Paddock entrance and actually have the turnstiles I believe in the pub! This would replace the Vale Social with part of the pub inside the ground having catering facilities replacing the outdoor ones we currently have there.

Vale Park with all its Wembley of the North history and the great 90’s and 50’s sides would be missed, it has the character and you can close your eyes and put yourself in the days of Steve Guppy and Jon McCarthy tearing apart Championship defences but the old girl is tired now and needs major upgrades.

 

[jacobncfc]

Location is far more important than the actual ground, in my opinion. As someone who has always lived in a different city and travelled in, being able to get the train, choose from any number of cracking pubs and then wander down to Meadow Lane is amazing. I’d hate to be one of these clubs on an out of town retail estate with a Frankie & Benny’s as the best option for a drink.

Only problem with ML really is that we can’t fill it. The location is great, the views are great, and the acoustics are generally really good. The Kop is a fantastic end as well, even when half full - no coincidence that we’ve got loads of dodgy penalties in front of it this season.

 

[AdamStag]

It’s a decent ground, although never been to watch a game as can’t stand Rugby. Still prefer ours though, particularly with the new stands being built. We’ve arguably got the best terrace in the football league too.

It’s accessible but it’s 4 Miles from the city centre and you either need to drive there or get a park and ride bus, plus there’s only one pub nearby which you still need to drive to. No thanks.

I liked your away terrace being shit and the way it was though, that's what actually made it decent in my eyes. I used to love the sway terrace at York as well, though suspect won't be seeing them anytime soon

 

[Moomin]

I liked your away terrace being shit and the way it was though, that's what actually made it decent in my eyes. I used to love the sway terrace at York as well, though suspect won't be seeing them anytime soon

Yeah that’s a fair point, in my opinion shitness has charm. That’s why I miss the old Shay, Belle View and Springfield Park. They had real character for sure.

Our new away end is the one from Barnet’s new Hive (same size terrace as their home end) so generic but I guess a roof will be an improvement in terms of noise. The new seated stand will still only cover two thirds of the pitch, similarly to the old Grand Stand so should retain a little character also.

 

[shoddycollins]

Luton's proposed new ground looks fantastic but I doubt many clubs at this level have the resources to commission anything other than the standard identikit affair.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

I do miss the old Gay Meadow and would go back in a heartbeat even if that meant being a side that is struggling in League 2.

It must have been the most picturesque ground in English football back in the day. Located on the river bank in the heart of the town surrounded by pubs and bars.

Our current ground is about a 20 minute walk from the town centre which isn’t too bad, shame we couldn’t have built it in the town centre though.

 

[dedwardp]

I hate our ground and would have loved to have stayed at Layer Road, but it wasn't feasible for the club and we wouldn't have been able to stay there and survive. The atmosphere is decent once the attendance gets up to about 7,000 or so, but of course for us that is rare and with the away fans put as far away as possible from any noise it kills any typical matchday atmosphere.

Hopefully it may seem better when the area is built up but, for now, it is horrible. I think it has to be a contributing factor in my declining interest too, I'm really not bothered about going up there.

Colchesters is awful, and is it always cold there?

Yes, it is the coldest place on Earth. I think we've surpassed the likes of Oldham in that one.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Luton's proposed new ground looks fantastic but I doubt many clubs at this level have the resources to commission anything other than the standard identikit affair.

Behold the Salad Bowl

 

[Fuzzyvalefan]

A lot of success or failure of a new ground to me is about location.

Examples of decent new grounds would be Rotherham and Chesterfield. Both located pretty centrally with pubs/eateries nearby.

Crap ones that spring to mind are Shrewsbury in a field in the middle of bloody nowhere, Wigan and Bolton at the arse end of a bloody retail park and nowhere near the town centre. Special mention to Morecambe because even though it’s nearer to the town centre it’s so tinpot and crap that it just feels like a real missed opportunity.

 

[hellogregory]

Of those mentioned in opening post, Rotherham is the best I’ve been to. For a 12,000 new stadium they’ve done it right, no gaps, steep stands etc. Feels like a football stadium rather than 4 bus shelters plonked in the middle of a field.

I’ve been to the Ricoh. I liked the stadium but it was simply too big for a league 1 (at the time I went) club so atmosphere wasn’t great.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

How we financed the building of the Ricoh is the cause of why we are now in the bottom league of English football.
Selling our great old ground to simply pay off our debt to then let the council part finance the stadium when we ran out of money was an absolute disaster.
If you want a new ground make sure the club and only the club can finance it.
Most of us dream of the good old days at Highfield Road and would love to go back in time and stay there.
A few good seasons in the Prem of today we could then finance a new stadium

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Funnily enough like a few on here, the coldest I have ever been at a football ground, and I've been going to footie for nearly fifty years is also Colchesters new ground. Why the hell is that because last I checked it's not close to the Artic circle ?

 

[shoddycollins]

Funnily enough like a few on here, the coldest I have ever been at a football ground, and I've been going to footie for nearly fifty years is also Colchesters new ground. Why the hell is that because last I checked it's not close to the Artic circle ?

the urban heat island effect

 

[shoddycollins]

Bolton's ground is in a ridiculous location. Gigg Lane is actually closer to the centre of Bolton.

Maybe Luton's ground could be improved by building it in St Albans.

 

[UTS]

A lot of success or failure of a new ground to me is about location.

Examples of decent new grounds would be Rotherham and Chesterfield. Both located pretty centrally with pubs/eateries nearby.

Crap ones that spring to mind are Shrewsbury in a field in the middle of bloody nowhere, Wigan and Bolton at the arse end of a bloody retail park and nowhere near the town centre. Special mention to Morecambe because even though it’s nearer to the town centre it’s so tinpot and crap that it just feels like a real missed opportunity.

Wigan isn’t too bad, only a 20 minute walk or so from the town centre. You’d have no chance walking from Middlebrook to Bolton unless you had 4 hours to spare.

The Macron Stadium must be the furthest ‘out of town’ ground in the country?

 

[Luke Imp]

It's quite relevant for us at the minute because we identified a piece of land 3 or 4 years ago for a new Stadium and done all the testing on the site but we're now part of a bigger development called the Western Growth Corridor and that's slowed things down.

The full development is a new Stadium, 3,500 homes, health centre, primary school, hotel and leisure complex, various different cycle and bus routes and will end up being in partnership with Lincoln Uni, too, so we're also hoping to do something similar to Barnet and have the top sports science/medical side included as well. The plans are reliant on a new road out of the City towards the by-pass, which shouldn't be a problem but takes 3-5 years to sort.

The proposed site is only 1½ miles from Sincil Bank and also closer to the City Centre than Sincil Bank currently is, which is unusual at a time when most move further out.

I agree r.e. the Burton, Colchester (never been there, mind) and Shrewsbury types ones. Chesterfield tried to make theirs a little difference but I prefer the corners filled in like Doncaster and Rotherham with the latter really impressed our lot apparently when we went there in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season.

 

[CFC91]

I'd go back to Saltergate in a heart beat. We were steady in League 1 there, always turned over a modest profit and had a proper chairman.

Only thing the new ground has done is got us a few more fans with no financial gain. We'd never get 10k+ at Saltergate obviously and it was great in the new ground when we did that

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Saltergate Away End terrace toilets

 

[rudebwoyben]

It's quite relevant for us at the minute because we identified a piece of land 3 or 4 years ago for a new Stadium and done all the testing on the site but we're now part of a bigger development called the Western Growth Corridor and that's slowed things down.

The full development is a new Stadium, 3,500 homes, health centre, primary school, hotel and leisure complex, various different cycle and bus routes and will end up being in partnership with Lincoln Uni, too, so we're also hoping to do something similar to Barnet and have the top sports science/medical side included as well. The plans are reliant on a new road out of the City towards the by-pass, which shouldn't be a problem but takes 3-5 years to sort.

The proposed site is only 1½ miles from Sincil Bank and also closer to the City Centre than Sincil Bank currently is, which is unusual at a time when most move further out.

I agree r.e. the Burton, Colchester (never been there, mind) and Shrewsbury types ones. Chesterfield tried to make theirs a little difference but I prefer the corners filled in like Doncaster and Rotherham with the latter really impressed our lot apparently when we went there in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season.

A bit unfair to lump Burton in with those others. It is in the town and very close to where the old ground was. Additionally, it is walkable from the town's station.

 

[Luke Imp]

I meant stadium design rather than location.

Burton's is probably the worst of the lot. It's breeze block city (or at least it was when we went there).

 

[rudebwoyben]

Ours is a bit of an anomalous one. We're not out of 'town', if you term London as town but we definitely are if 'town' is termed as Barnet!

 

[Sydney Posse]

Love it that we are in the town, close to loads of pubs and other amenities and I love the history of the place. Too many memories, would hate it if we moved. Been to most of the new ones in the bottom divisions and a few of the ones in the top divisions as well. Although there are some great exceptions, most are pretty soulless to me. Shrewsbury fans must be gutted. Their old ground was ace, liked Wallsall's old ground too and too many others to mention

 

[UTS]

I'd go back to Saltergate in a heart beat. We were steady in League 1 there, always turned over a modest profit and had a proper chairman.

Only thing the new ground has done is got us a few more fans with no financial gain. We'd never get 10k+ at Saltergate obviously and it was great in the new ground when we did that

You don’t know for certain that you wouldn’t have had the misfortune of dodgy owners at Saltergate though. Didn’t you have some dodgy owner circa. early 2000’s?

We also played you multiple times at Saltergate in L2. Don’t really think you can blame a new stadium on current dodgy owners or a relegation really.

 

[MrGloverLover]

I meant stadium design rather than location.

Burton's is probably the worst of the lot. It's breeze block city (or at least it was when we went there).

Burton's ground is excellent, they built it to the right spec and I always enjoy going there. We have our company Christmas do there every year and the facilities off the pitch are spot on.

They couldn't have built it anywhere nearer the town centre so where they did build it is as ideal as it could have been.

 

[Agombar stool]

My requirements for a decent ground. (not in any particular order, just making a list)

1. Within walking distance of the train station
2. Good range of bars/eateries close enough to the ground
3. A ground with character

and that's about it really. As many have said, identikit new grounds close to a cinema type complex are just horrible to go to.

The CG is dilapidated and Swindon is a bit of a hovel, but I would still much rather have our ground than many new ones I have seen (the Rolex clock on the Stratton Bank is unique for example, the away facilities basic, as they should be).

Luton's ground for example, is in a horrible area but has bagloads of unique character. I have never been, but Port Vale's ground looks like that as well. Football grounds are more than just bricks and mortar, they tell a story, they have history and identity.

I still love the walk down from Old Town in Swindon on a matchday and you can see the floodlight pylons in the distance. Its a bit clichéd but the old girl brings back great memories of being taken to games with my dad and granddad (when he was alive). Moving to a new ground just kills the magic, in my opinion.

 

[shoddycollins]

Regarding Colchester, I did do some research a few weeks back on how many people lived within 5-45 minutes' drive of the stadium and Colchester's had by far the lowest within 5 minutes, showing how isolated it is all the way out there.

 

[MrGloverLover]

We were right royally shafted by Tesco and the contractors when our current ground was built in 89/90. It's a shit ground and was designed with no ambition of foresight - it's a non-league stadium.

Virtually no conference or off-pitch facilities worth mentioning, it's in a very very uninspiring area of town and worst of all we have no bar or social club due to land covenants that the club cannot get lifted. The nearest pubs are 10-15 minutes walk away and it's nowhere near either train station.

I'd go back to Huish as it was in the town centre and had character (even if it was 90% wood). It even had a skittle alley under the main stand.